According to nutritional medical practitioner Fiona Tuck, who appeared on an episode of Australian TV show Today extra, crickets will be a hit in 2018. Tuck says they are a sustainable food source that comes packed with vitamins and minerals.
"They are very, very nutritious and have as much calcium as dairy making them a great calcium source for those who can't have dairy," she said.
"They've also got B12 and iron which are common nutrients which we can become deficient in."
Edible clay
Tuck also identified edible clays and diatomaceous earth as two superfoods packed full of healing properties.
"The bentomite clay is thought to be almost a healing clay," she explained.
Just one teaspoon mixed with water is believed to detox and purify the body.
"It's meant to internally cleanse the body and remove parasites and toxins and help to balance the gut microbiome."
Sprouting and fermented foods
Fermented and sprouted foods are set to cement their superfood status in 2018, meaning kombucha and sauerkraut will no longer top the charts.
Instead sprouted nuts, seeds and grains, which have nutrients easily digested into the body, will become the big health food hits.
"It means they are easier to digest. So that's great for somebody that has digestive problems. Somebody with Crohn's [disease] who can't absorb well," says Tuck.
"Soaking and the sprouting actually helps to lower the nutrients that can actually inhibit other nutrients being absorbed."
Hemp
The biggest food trend of 2018 looks to be hemp, says Tuck, but only if the product becomes legal here in New Zealand.
Tuck outlines that not only is hemp a economical food source, it is also highly nutritious.
"You can have it as protein, you can have it as hemp flower, seeds on your cereal or on your salad and oil as well."
